


opening

by nausicaa_of_phaeacia



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Human Disaster Phil Coulson, Prompt Fic, Season/Series 04, cousyfest2k17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 02:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10504293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nausicaa_of_phaeacia/pseuds/nausicaa_of_phaeacia
Summary: Coulson knocks on Daisy's bunk door.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Skyepilot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/gifts).



> Written for the #cousyfest2k17, day 4 [DIRECTOR DAISY JOHNSON].  
> For Skyepilot. <3  
> (I keep starting fics with them knocking on each other's doors, don't I?)

There‘s a knock on her bunk door. It sounds like it‘s Coulson, but she waits for a moment just to be sure. Because let's be honest, there are not many people besides Coulson she would open the door for before six in the morning.

"Daisy?" It's him.  
She hops out of bed and sort of tiptoes to the door, opens it. He looks pleased that she's awake.  
"Hey," she smiles, not as tired as she would have expected herself to be at this hour. It's still dark out.  
"Hey. Sorry. Hope I didn't wake you."  
She knows Coulson's whisper from all their missions, but this one sounds a bit different.  
"It's fine, I was awake," she says, and she knows he's really relieved to hear that.

"It's Mace," he says. "He's fine," he adds, before she can actually look shocked. Yesterday wasn't exactly a good day, and Mace got hit more than anyone else during the mission. "It's just that they need to operate quite soon, and he's going to be out for several days after that from the anaesthesia. He wants to talk to you."  
"To me. Why?" They're alright, Mace and her, but it seems weird. Sure, he's technically the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., still, but Coulson has been running the joint, so there seems no need. For a moment, she suspects Mace might have a crush on her and wants to tell her _just in case_ , like they always do in those garbage hospital series, but it seems ridiculous.  
"Not sure. He was pretty insistent, though."

She nods. Well, fine. But Mace is not going to get to see her in her pyjamas. "Just a sec," she says, "clothes." She keeps the pants, they're fine, but turns around to take off her T-shirt, and Coulson blushes because he doesn't manage to fully turn around before she's gotten rid of it. Even if all he got to see was her bare back. Well.  
"Okay," she says, cueing him to turn back around to face her. She's put on the soft white sweater he hasn't seen on her in a long time until recently. He smiles at her, as if to tell her that she looks great even at this hour. She returns it.

 

*

 

Coulson's been waiting outside, turns to face her as he hears her leave the hospital room. He gives her a curious look, but doesn't ask.  
"He's alright," Daisy says. She looks amused. "A little high from the painkillers, probably." He chuckles, but she doesn't react, keeps looking in front of her as they walk back to headquarters.  
"What about you?," he asks, carefully, like he wants her to know that he's not asking for his sake.  
"I'm ... Let's have coffee?" It's phrased like a suggestion, but it sounds like she's asking for a favour. "Sure." He actually looks happy to oblige her.

Minutes later, he places a huge mug of coffee in front of her. The scent fills the whole kitchen, Coulson always adds cardamom and cinnamon to her latte.  
"Thanks." She stirs a little, then looks up.  
"He just made me Director," she says.  
Coulson just smiles, and after a moment of consideration, she looks suspicious. "... You knew?"  
He shakes his head. Okay.

"So I'm not technically the Director. I'm Director-in-Chief. Until he's awake and also fully able to walk on his own two feet again."  
"Might take a while," he remarks, keeping his eyes on the table.  
She takes a sip, then asks the obvious question. "Why me? Why not you?"  
Coulson clears his throat. "He asked me, since I've been running operations anyway and all that."  
"Yeah--?"  
"Yeah. But I declined."  
"I thought you were Director-in-Chief already."  
"We didn't have one. Not since Talbot pushed Mace in here."

"Why me though?"  
"You're the best." He's looking at her now, and she finds it really hard to hold his gaze.  
She swallows. "That's what you told him, isn't it?"  
"Yeah. But it's also true."  
They're still maintaining eye contact, and the whole thing feels pretty intense to Daisy. Coulson is clenching his jaw, like he's nervous but doesn't want her to see.  
It makes her smile. Now that she thinks about it, it's always been his tell.

"Thank you," she says, eventually.  
"Sure," he says, trying to ignore the gravity of her words, playing innocent. Because it's not fair, this shouldn't be a big deal, it shouldn't feel like a big deal to Daisy. He finds it heartbreaking that she thinks it's an exceptionally nice thing to recommend her for the position. Like he's complimenting her or doing her a favour or something.  
Before he can elaborate on that (because that's what he wants to be doing), she repeats it. "No. Seriously – _thank you_ , Coulson."  
He blushes, and he briefly checks her expression, as if to decide if he should be going or not.  
She's smiling, almost knowingly.

His breath hitches as she suddenly stands up, steps closer. It's too close. Too close to still be meeting "professional" conditions.  
It's like she thinks about it a moment, trying to decide, then bends down to kiss him. He inadvertently closes his eyes, then feels her smile against his lips as he does. She cups his cheek, and he needs to look at her. She's beautiful. This sort of smile is beautiful on her.  
She sees him swallow before he asks.  
"Are you sure?" She's almost positive his heart is racing, but there's a sparkle in his eyes.  
She nods, a little too shy to explain, and maybe this doesn't need explaining, because he follows her without hesitation as she takes him by the hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Hope you liked it! :)
> 
> P.S. Sorry about the intelligent title. I'm having a hard time titling my fics lately ;)


End file.
